As Kontoor Brands continues to evaluate market trends and changing consumer preferences, Wrangler® also plan to expand their workwear category offering immense potential for growth. VP and GM of Traditional & Outdoor Jimmy Shafer shared that Lee® and Wrangler® is ramping up its expansion efforts in the workwear category.
Shafer detailed how Kontoor’s market research shows that the workwear category has been outpacing the total apparel market. With both brands’ established reputation with our consumer base, paired with the uptake in workwear demand, Kontoor is committed to focusing on this category as an important growth driver.
Both Lee and Wrangler will leverage their history and roots in workwear, as Lee plans to expand into higher tiers of distribution for its workwear lines and Wrangler sets its sights on launching several upcoming lines. To name a few, Wrangler officially launched its Casey Jones capsule collection globally in Q3, which features revamped workwear looks from the archives, and Wrangler Riggs is seeing strong organic growth and returns for its men and women’s collections.
Additionally, Wrangler’s global workwear lines recently launched in a major mass market retailer, and, in his presentation, Shafer says the goal is to feature the line in 2,000+ stores before the end of the year. Wrangler also has its sights set on the rapidly changing industrial workwear market. New innovations like Wrangler’s flame-resistant material allow consumers to get the best of both worlds – comfort and style, without having to sacrifice quality.
These new initiatives are helping Kontoor become more diverse in its product offerings. As trends in the oil, gas and electrical markets continue to emerge, innovation will be at the forefront of our minds and design process. Shafer points out that these trends paired with potential investments and industrial contracts present major growth opportunities for Kontoor.
